A narrative is once again gaining traction in Ukraine claiming that household energy tariffs are "too low" and that this specific issue is hindering the restoration of the power grid. Utilities expert Oleh Popenko slammed these claims, calling them "professional manipulation" and an attempt to shift the burden of war damage onto the shoulders of ordinary citizens.

Popenko argues that consumers are not to blame for infrastructure destruction and therefore should not serve as a "recovery fund" for private or state corporations.

"Ukrainian consumers didn't smash transformers, destroy substations, or wipe out grids. Russian missiles and drones did that. Shifting the responsibility for this destruction onto the population isn't economics; it is the cynicism of our reformers," the expert stated.

Breaking down the ownership structure of energy assets, Popenko identifies three key groups, each possessing its own resources for recovery:

  • Private companies (such as DTEK): These entities have billions in turnover and access to European loans. "Consumers should not finance the war risks of a private corporation," he emphasizes.

  • The State Sector (Ukrenergo): Receives billions of euros through international programs (EBRD, World Bank). Household tariffs are completely irrelevant in this context.

  • Regional distribution companies (oblenergos): Private monopolies that have reaped excess profits for years. "When they claim there is 'no money,' it means only one thing: they don't want to pay out of their own pockets."

According to the expert, the myth of low tariffs is merely a convenient smokescreen for a reluctance to dismantle corrupt schemes and curb the appetites of monopolists.

"It is much easier to say, 'You pay too little,' than to admit, 'We don't want to reduce monopoly profits'... That is why they invent the fairy tale of 'cheap electricity,'" Popenko writes.

The expert stressed that war is force majeure, and damages should be covered by the state, international aid, and future Russian reparations.

"Offloading this onto the utility bill of a pensioner or a family is not a market mechanism; it is robbery. Ukrainians are not obligated to fund the war a second time through their tariffs. They are already paying with taxes, inflation, losses, and destroyed homes," Oleh Popenko concluded.